Artsline || September 26, 2022
“Where crooknecks are coiling and yellow fruit shines,
And the sun of September melts down on the vines...”
~John Greenleaf Whittier, "The Pumpkin"
Once again, RVA art is filled with stories – from history to music to writing festivals. Plus, with the cooler weather, comes festival season, filled with fall colors and a summer’s harvest. Throw on that sweater and find new ways to explore your neighborhood – check out the great opportunities below!
To list your events on Artsline, go to vpm.org/artsline.
1. 2ND STREET FESTIVAL
Music, Culture
Saturday & Sunday, October 1 & 2
North 2 nd Street, between East Broad and East Jackson Streets, Richmond, 23219
RVA’s 2nd Street Festival returns in 2022 for its 34th anniversary. Produced by Venture Richmond, this free community festival celebrates the rich culture of the historic Jackson Ward neighborhood in Downtown Richmond. Grandmaster Flash headlines the event, with performances by The Marvin Taylor Experience, Nathan Mitchell, and I Would Die 4U: A Musical Tribute to Prince.
2. SUSAN GREENBAUM IN CONCERT
Music
Saturday, October 1, 8pm
The Shady Grove Coffeehouse, 11105 Cauthorne Road, Glen Allen, 23059
$15 Advance | $20 at Door | Age 13-18 half-priced | 12 & Under Free
With five CD releases to her credit, Susan Greenbaum’s music received significant national airplay on Americana, folk and country stations. Country/Americana music website “Roughstock” calls her “a songwriting talent to be reckoned with,” comparing her writing and singing to Mary Chapin Carpenter and Bonnie Raitt. Long a favorite of the Shady Grove Coffee House audience, Susan performs again this season. Reserve tickets by emailing to [email protected] or by calling (804) 323-4288.
3. LAMB ARTS FEST
Visual Arts
Saturday, October 1, 1pm
Lamb Center for Arts & Healing, 230 East Broadway Hopewell, 23860
The Lamb Arts Fest is a free community event intended to provide access to the arts through world class exhibitions, student art showcases, art activities, local and national artists and related vendors. This year's event will once again include the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on the road exhibition as well as free hands-on art activities led by Lamb Arts and more of your favorite local organizations, meet and greets with local artists, exhibitions of student work, and live music! It is truly a unique event intended to celebrate the creativity and beauty of our community. No registration required for this free event.
4. AUTHOR TALK WITH HERNAN DIAZ – TRUST
Literary Art
Tuesday, September 27, 4pm
Online
Join Chesterfield County Library for an afternoon with Pulitzer Prize finalist and PEN/Faulkner Award winner Hernan Diaz, author of In the Distance and Trust. Diaz holds a Ph.D. from NYU and edits the Spanish-language journal Revista Hispánica Moderna, at Columbia University. Diaz will be discussing his latest book, Trust, a tale of privilege and deceit set during the roar of the 1920s around Wall Street tycoon, Benjamin Rask, and his wife, Helen. Register online for this free event.
5. LEGENDS ON GRACE: RENÉ MARIE
Music, Theatre
Saturday, October 1, 8pm
Rhythm Hall at Dominion Energy Center, 600 East Grace Street, Richmond, 23219
$42.50 - $52.50
Experience an up-close and personal conversation with jazz legend, René Marie. René Marie has built her career on the foundation of truth-telling songs rooted in jazz traditions laid down by leading ladies of past generations. She's the rare jazz vocalist who has put songwriting at the very heart of her enterprise, addressing the human condition through an unvarnished personal lens. Hosted by Desirée Roots and presented by Richmond Performing Arts Alliance. Purchase tickets online.
6. GALLERY AT FIRST UU
Visual Arts
Wednesday, September 28 – Sunday, October 2 (times vary)
First UU Church of Richmond, 1000 Blanton Avenue, Richmond, 23221
Gallery at First UU is an annual juried Fine Arts & Crafts show & sale with about 160 artists and 4000 pieces – celebrating its 55th year. No registration required for this event.
7. LEWIS GINTER'S ONE TRUE LOVE
Literary Art, History
Monday, September 26, 6pm
Libbie Mill Library, 2100 Libbie Lake East Street, Richmond, 23230
Join Henrico County’ Libbie Mill Library for a discussion of the historical fiction novel, Ginter's Pope, with author John Musgrove. Lewis Ginter is known for his philanthropy and efforts to rebuild Richmond after the Civil War, but he also had one person who made him happy - a younger man named John Pope. No registration required for this free event.
8. SLACK FAMILY BLUEGRASS BAND
Music
Friday, September 30, 7:30pm
Perkinson Center for the Arts and Education 11810 Centre Street Chester VA 23831
$20 Adults | $15 Senior/Military | $10 Students/Kids
The Slack Family began life over 20 years ago performing in the streets and back alleys of Richmond to enthusiastic, mesmerized bar hopping listeners. Today this family of "brothers from different mothers" is ever creating energetic, diverse and infectious music featuring three part vocal harmonies and a wide variety of indigenous influences that give more than a nod to the way "it used to was.” Presented by Perkinson Center for Arts & Education. Purchase tickets online.
9. WRITERS' FEST 2022
Literary Art
Saturday, October 1
Appomattox Regional Governor’s School, 512 West Washington Street, Petersburg, 23803
Appomattox Regional Governor's School presents Writers' Fest 2022, a daylong event full of free creative writing events. Featuring panels, readings, and opportunities to create new work, Writers' Fest features Robin Farmer, Derek Kannemeyer, Sonja Livingston, SJ Sindu, Rose Szabo, and Pulitzer-Prize winner Michael Paul Williams. Register online for this free event.
10. DIPPING IN DEEP WELLS WITH PAUL WILLSON
Music
Saturday, October 1, 3:30pm
Grace Baptist Church, 4200 Dover Road, Richmond, 23221
Exploring the wells of deep longstanding music traditions of Scotland, Ireland, and England and featuring original compositions by local musician Paul Willson. Paul is joined by musicians Matthew O’Donnell and Kassia Arbabi as they play a variety of instruments including fiddle, guitar, concertina, and bouzouki. Presented by Grace Baptist Church as a part of the Grace Concert Series. No registration required for his free event.
11. THE DEVIL’S HALF ACRE
History, Literary Art
Thursday, September 29 5:30pm
Valentine First Freedom Center, 14 South 14th Street, Richmond, 23219
$30
Join The Valentine and the American Civil War Museum for a special evening discovering stories of one of Richmond’s most important historic sites – the Devil’s Half Acre and African Burial Ground. Starting at the Valentine First Freedom Center, author Kristen Green signs copies of her 2022 book The Devil’s Half Acre: The Untold Story of How One Woman Liberated the South’s Most Notorious Slave Jail. Green’s acclaimed book explores the story of how a formerly enslaved woman, Mary Lumpkin, transformed one of Richmond’s most notorious sites of terror into a space of liberation and education for African Americans following the Civil War. After the author meet-and-greet, ACWM will lead a walking tour of the Shockoe Bottom site and share insights into her research and ongoing work to preserve it. Purchase tickets online.
12. HARVEST TIME CHILDREN'S CRAFTING MORNING
Visual Art, History
Saturday, October 1, 10am
Agecroft Hall & Gardens, 4305 Sulgrave Road, Richmond, 23221
$10/child
Did you know that children who lived in England 500 years ago had a special job at harvest time? Do you know what trick-or-treating looked like back then? If you are curious about the answers to these questions, and you also like arts and crafts, join us for Agecroft Hall’s Harvest Time Children's Crafting Morning. Kids will learn about autumn activities and harvest time in England 500 years ago. Participants will work with Agecroft’s educators on printing, origami and sewing projects that reflect fall traditions in the past and today. The three make-and-take projects they create will be perfect for displaying throughout the fall season! This event is for kids ages 6 through 11. Purchase tickets online.
13. HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH BOOK TASTING
Literary Art
Wednesday, September 28, 6:30pm
Broad Rock Branch Library, 4820 Old Warwick Road, Richmond, 23224
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by sampling a menu of delectable reading selections by Hispanic authors. Encounter new writers and literary styles, chosen by the folks at Richmond Public Libraries. Explore the Spanish-speaking world through literature (books will be in English). Meet new people and have fun. No registration required for this free event.
If you are an arts or cultural organization with lectures, exhibitions, performances, or even book readings, submit your events to Artsline here.
If you are an artist or an arts or cultural organization in need of resources and tools, check out the list of local and national resources from Richmond CultureWorks.
The Shady Grove Coffeehouse, the Richmond Performing Arts Alliance, The Valentine and Venture Richmond are sponsors of VPM.
